Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) systems, http://onin.com/fp/afis/afis.html, have not traditionally been able to search and match all fingerprints that human examiners can identify through manual methods. In part this is because human latent print examiners can use additional detail, such as level III detail, to match fingerprints (as used herein, “print” refers to unique identifying prints on an animal, typically a human, such as fingerprints, palm prints, toe prints, foot prints, etc.). At the same time, the physical limitations of the human eye prevent human examiners from distinguishing between very fine levels of grayscale magnitudes, which interferes both with identification of locations for, and the accuracy of, minutiae markers in each of level I, II and III details in fingerprints. Level 3 detail is the finest-detail of the three levels. Generally speaking, level 1 is directed to ridge flow in prints, level 2 to ridge path in prints, and level 3 to ridge shape, which comprises unique edge detail, pore shape and position, incipient ridge shape, and other detail smaller than a ridge width. Thus, existing systems do not always allow AFIS systems, operators and examiners to account for, and mark as minutia points, features that can be accurately discerned by visualizing subtle differences in grayscale magnitude in a fingerprint image.
AFIS systems have not been developed to recognize, extract, quantify, search, and match level III characteristics in two or more fingerprint images. AFIS systems also have not developed the capacity to identify and mark desired minutiae markers at level III detail. Without this capability, subtle grayscale magnitude differences cannot be thoroughly analyzed, and therefore certain features may not be recognized, extracted, quantified, searched, and/or matched. Moreover, AFIS III detail may reside at different grayscale magnitudes (or other magnitudes such as hue or saturation) in a fingerprint image. If grayscale magnitudes are not considered, certain level III features may not be recognized, extracted, quantified, searched, and/or matched. (Note: AFIS III is often used as shorthand herein to indicate level III analysis of prints whether actually performed on in an automated system or manually.)
Thus, there has gone unmet a need for additional AFIS system tools to assist in distinguishing between features that reside at different grayscale magnitudes, and to mark those features in a manner that can be searched on the AFIS system. The present systems, methods, etc., provide these and other advantages.